count the most, and Julia with her former short life span, really knew how to live and what to value. She risked everything for her family. I’d never have known what that meant if it wasn’t for her, and I regretted having to lock my brother in the keep. Nevertheless, in the keep he would stay. I was not all-forgiving.
Soft footsteps approached, and Julia stood behind me, threading her slender fingers through the feathers at the base of my wings. This aroused me, made my heart beat faster, and I realized I’d never felt more alive than when I spent time with her. Though, she still hadn’t answered my proposal. I must execute my plan and hit her hard. Hoorah. “You make me want to lock you up and tie you to the bed. Alas, if you’re well enough, we shall descend to town. There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Chapter Thirty
Michael disliked visiting Raphael and seeing his brother confined inside a small cell, but he would show Raphael no mercy, although I had asked if he would consider it. Raphael had done what he did because he believed I would hurt Michael. Still, my pleas to ease up on Raphael fell upon deaf ears. At least after the prego news, his mood improved.
He walked out of the House with a bounce in his step, and I rushed down the stairs to catch up with him. He stopped at the entrance, shook out his golden wings, looked up at the same time as he extended his hand for me to take. I slid my palm into his. His hands were always warm, and as our palms connected, I swore my soul filled with peace.
In the sky, the Command Fleet paused their training and turned toward him, tucking their wings tightly to their bodies and simply hovering in the air, defying gravity. I expected them all to fall, but they stilled and hummed softly, barely audible to my ears. On the ground, the soldiers assembled, and everyone stared at Michael. I wondered, not for the first time, what it felt like to carry the responsibility of the realm on one’s shoulders. Because of Michael’s reserved emotions, I often misunderstood him, thought him heartless, and even called him a monster. I didn’t believe I’d ever fully know what Michael felt in moments like this one, when thousands of mortals and angels dropped everything they were doing for a chance to be touched by him as he swept the Court with his power.
His strength coursed through my body faster than an energy drink, and my soul soaked it up, hungry for more. Michael hummed along with the fleet, a beautiful, soothing tune. Since the day Lucifer visited, we’d trained hard and with little rest.
“Maybe you could give them a break today,” I whispered.
Bright golden eyes turned to me, and I looked up, smiling. “A day off in light of our private celebration.”
Golden eyes narrowed. “Who approached you and asked for rest?”
Gawd. Here we go. “Nobody, but I mentioned it last night, and you said yes, so…”
“Last night, I was busy eating you out, and anything you say gets a yes from me. Which is precisely why you asked at that time, isn’t it?”
I looked around, feeling heat crawl up my neck. The mortals couldn’t hear him, but angels clearing their throats as if they were suppressing laughter told me they heard.
“Maybe,” I said.
“Mm-hm.” He turned his attention to the armies. “Which Court is made of the finest soldiers?”
“Court of Command!”
“And what’s this Court do?”
“Defend the realm.”
“How?”
“By slaying evil.”
“What’s it take to slay evil?”
“Relentless training.”
“So which one of you approached Julia about rest?”
Silence.
“Got ya.” He laughed. “You may take the day off.”
“Hoorah,” the mortal army shouted.
The angels ceased humming and stared. Michael laughed again. I didn’t believe I’d ever heard him laugh like that before. He slung an arm around my waist and pressed me against his body. We lifted, and surprisingly, my stomach didn’t lift with us. The fleet remained in position, albeit a bit more relaxed.
“Are they waiting for something?” I asked.
“They’re confused about the rest.” Flying under them, Michael flipped into a horizontal position with me beneath him. I gripped his neck with one hand and a bicep with the other. “What are you doing?” I glanced behind my shoulder and gulped. He positioned us horizontally about fifty feet from the ground. “I’m going to fall.”
“There’s no splattering in this Court, Julia. How is your sickness?”
I contemplated lying and decided I